New songs for modern missional worship, rich in Christian teaching and contextualized in modern culture. Contemporary hymns, psalms, songs of lament and praise written by members of the Louisville, KY-based Sojourn Community.
1. Awesome God (Your Voice) by Vicky Beeching. Beeching sets up each of this praise song’s two verses by stating that God’s voice (first verse) and arms (second verse) created the universe and everything in it. The closing lines of each verse declare how that voice and those arms love and shelter us, before leading into the chorus with
“How can this be?”
It’s a powerful technique that shows the greatness of God and the wonders of his love — that the ultimate being and very creator of everything should care for us, small as we are. So as the chorus then states, we worship in wonder, humbled by this great mystery of a majestic, all-powerful God who displays His love for us.
2. Gifted Response, by Matt Redman. A call to worship song with an opening verse so deep that books can and have been written about the truths that Redman packs into four lyrical lines:
“This is a gifted response
Father, we cannot come to You by our own merit
We will come in the name of Your Son
as He glorifies You, and in the power of Your Spirit”
3. Let Justice Roll Like A River, lyrics by me and music by Rebecca Elliott. Rebecca is one fantastic co-writer. I love the melody she gave this contemporary hymn of confession and cry for social justice and renewal. You can hear a live recording of this from a Sojourn worship service last fall courtesy of Drake Hatfield’s drakeaudio.com, and visit the chord sheet here.
4. I Sing The Mighty Power Of God, lyrics by Isaac Watts (check out our column from last week describing a new Sojourn/ Isaac Watts worship project). The melody and arrangement in this version is courtesy of the Mars Hill worship band, The BCG. Mars Hill in Seattle is a wonderful partner in the Acts 29 network and a great example of a missional church blossoming in an urban area where evangelical Christians are few.
5. Beneath the Cross, a modern hymn by Keith and Kristyn Getty. Using a classic 7676D hymn-meter in three verses, they set before us a three-point exposition on the wonders of the cross.
1. Our souls are “won” beneath the cross, as Christ’s blood atones for our sin.
“For hands that should discard me
hold wounds which tell me ‘come’ ”
2. The cross has made us into a family, where there is no more Jew or Gentile, where strangers become joint-heirs of salvation.
“Once strangers chasing selfish dreams
Now ‘one’ through grace alone”
3. It is the cross that leads to the crown, the sacrifice that leads to glory.
“Beneath the cross of Jesus,
the path before the crown,
We follow in His footsteps
where promised hope is found”
6. Throne of Grace, by John Barnett, a simple, biblical song.
“It’s Your kindness that leads to repentance.
It’s Your blood that brings forgiveness.”
Hearkening back to Romans 2:4, these lyrics remind us of Scripture’s declaration that God’s kindness, love and grace move us to confess and repent, that His free gift of grace exposes our pride and let’s us know that we don’t have to try to earn what we could never earn on our own — divine favor.
7. The Solid Rock, often known as “On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand,” lyrics by Edward Mote and music by William Bradbury. I wrote about this song and provided a link to a live Sojourn recording (again courtesy of drakeaudio.com) in my April 18 blog post about the earthquake that surprised the American midwest that morning.
Worship band for the 9:30 AM and 11:15 AM Sojourn services:
Vocals: Joel Gerdis and Lorie King
Guitar: David Weir
Bass: Bryon Shrock
Drums: Jason Tiemann
Worship band for the 5 pm and 7 pm services:
Vocals: Jamie Barnes and Katie Vaughn
Guitars: Phillip Miller and Jamie Barnes
Bass: Charlie Lucas
Keys: Michael Butterworth
Drums: Smitty Smith
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